Walls That Talk

Walls That Talk. Brandy Station's Graffiti House. Scores of soldiers passed through Brandy Station during the Civil War, and the "Graffiti House" in front of you literally tells the story of wartime events. Soldiers from both sides scrawled signatures, sketches, and messages upon the walls., Confederate cavalry patrolled this region during the first six months of 1863, and that's when most of the Southern signatures were likely done. One inscription roads: "Battle of Beverlys Ford, April 16th, 1863, Yanks caught hell.", Three cousins served in Company E, 12th Virginia Cavalry, each named for their prominent grandfather James Markham Marshall. One wrote "Capt. J. Marshall" on an upstairs wall of the house., Members of the Army of the Potomac's Third Corps wrote much of the Union graffiti in the house. Maps seem to indicate that Third Corps division commander Gen. Henry Prince used the house as his headquarters. One of his regimental commanders, Col. J. Egbert Farnum, and his ordnance officer, Capt. B. Weller Hoxie, both signed the walls., See the amazing Civil War graffiti in person! Go to the Brandy Station Foundation's website for tour information., (captions) , J. Egbert Farnum, 70th New York, was arrested in 1860 for bringing an illegal cargo of 400 enslaved people from Africa to the United States on board the ship Wanderer. A mistrial was declared because of a hung jury and charges were eventually dropped., Next to this detailed drawing is the message "I am turned over to Lieut. Gale." What was her relationship to Lt. Lyman Gale, of the 10th Vermont of the Third Corps, who camped nearby?, Captain James Marshall, Company E, 12th Virginia Cavalry, was one of 16 cadets from the Virginia Military Institute's first graduating class of 1842.